Adam Henson launches new project away from Countryfile after suffering devastating loss
COUNTRYFILE presenter Adam Henson is launching a new podcast away from the BBC series after suffering a devastating personal loss.
Adam, 57, has opened up about losing a close friend to suicide in his new mental health podcast.
Keeping on Track aims to open up the conversation around mental health in farming and will be launched on all major streaming platforms on Monday October 2.
Alongside a series of guests, the man behind Cotswold Farm Park will be offering support and advice to anyone who might be going through something similar.
Introducing the series, Adam said: “I have lived on a farm and been involved in farming all my life. As anyone working in farming knows, every day brings potential joy and disaster – you never quite know what is going to happen and there are many things you can’t control.
“This is one of the reasons for the high suicide rate within the farming sector.”
Adam then went on to share a personal experience which inspired him to launch the podcast.
“A great farming friend of mine died by suicide and many of you listening will have similar experiences,” he said.
“That’s one of the reasons I really wanted to make this podcast series, to shed some light on some of the main issues which cause stress and anxiety for farmers,” Adam added.
Featuring interviews with farmers, charities and mental health experts who explore different themes, including loneliness, financial worries, sleep and mindfulness, Adam hopes the podcast will offer some practical and effective ways to help.
Adam has long been an advocate for destigmatising the conversation around mental health in farming and has used his platform on Countryfile to shed light on the topic.
However, after losing his friend, Adam wanted to do more and linked up with production company Team Doctor to create Keeping on Track. He hopes that no one else will suffer in silence, as the Farm Safety Foundation calls poor mental health the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today.
Although Adam is launching the podcast independently of Countryfile, he will continue to present the BBC agriculture show too.
The first season of Keeping on Track features ten 20-minute episodes.
Keeping On Track will be available on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Google and Spotify on October 2.